Ethan Russo: CBG can help with chronic pain, anxiety, depression and insomnia, among other conditions

New research led by American neurologist and pharmacologist Ethan Russo reveals that CBG (cannabigerol)-predominant cannabis preparations can help patients with anxiety, chronic pain, depression or insomnia, among other conditions. And it also shows promise in the treatment of cancer, especially prostate cancer.

Of the 127 people who participated in the study, most said they "greatly improved" or "improved" their condition and claimed greater efficacy of CBG-dominant cannabis over conventional pharmacotherapy.

This is the largest survey of patients on CBG-dominant cannabis use to date and the first to document self-reported efficacy in anxiety, chronic pain, depression or insomnia, but also in migraines, nausea, inflammatory conditions, irritable bowel or bacterial infections, among others.

Molecular structure of CBG (cannabigerol) – Photo: CBWeed.com

The study reads that “CBG-dominant cannabis is associated with a very benign adverse effect profile and negligible withdrawal symptoms, which suggests that CBG-dominant cannabis-based drugs can be used safely in randomized clinical trials”.

Cannareporter spoke with Ethan Russo, currently CEO of CREDO Science, to better understand the reason for this research and the future of CBG therapies.

Why did you decide to investigate more about the therapeutic effects of CBG?
I have been aware of the medical potential of cannabigerol (CBG) for many years and hope it gets the attention it deserves. In recent times, there has been an increase in the cultivation of CBG-predominant plants, especially in the US Pacific Northwest, but almost nothing has been formally investigated as to the effects on humans. We started this study to try to fill this gap and stimulate future investigations.

What was the mode of administration they used and with what concentration?It was variable. Some people smoked cannabis flower with CBG and others used an oil extract, typically 10 mg/ml.

Was this study randomized or placebo-controlled? Is it already published in a magazine?
This was a research study. The results are currently under peer review for publication in a scientific journal.

What were the main conclusions of the research?
127 people participated in the survey and used cannabigerol-dominant cannabis preparations for a wide variety of ailments. Especially noteworthy were the claims of excellent efficacy in the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety and sleep disorders. Very few side effects have been reported. The vast majority found CBG to be more effective than conventional medications and no withdrawal effects were observed.

What main obstacles did you encounter?
It is sometimes difficult to recruit people for a cannabis study, but 127 patients is a good start. Publishing research studies is a challenge, but it should be a prelude to more formal randomized clinical trials. We need to prove a history of use by patients and no concomitant problems.

How does CBG interact with the Endocannabinoid System and what does this represent for the future of medical cannabis research?
CBG has little activity on CB1, where THC acts, so it is not intoxicating in that way. CBG works through a variety of other neurotransmitter systems, so we anticipate it to be a useful agent in anxiety, without the risk of sedation and dependence on available drugs. It also shows promise in the treatment of cancer, especially prostate cancer.

What would you advise European countries where they seem to focus only on CBD and THC levels? Should we study CBG and other cannabinoids more?
A proper certificate of analysis for a cannabis product must include concentrations of the various cannabinoids and terpenoids, as well as safety data that exclude microbial contamination, pesticide, heavy metal, and residual solvent.